09-19-2016, 12:33 PM
I think the explanation is that ESPN is looking ahead at both teams' schedules.
Right now Tennessee and Florida are both undefeated, so the game is meaningful even though both teams have been lackluster so far. Tennessee's immediate upcoming games are road trips to Georgia and Texas A&M, followed by a home game vs Alabama. So the game vs Alabama could be a marquee matchup except that Tennessee is unlikely to be undefeated and could have two or even three losses going in.
Meanwhile Michigan State has marquee matchups at home vs Michigan and Ohio State late in the season with a fairly soft schedule leading until then (this weeks matchup vs Wisconsin being the exception).
So given that GameDay prefers not to repeat venues, this is probably the only chance to visit Tennessee with a compelling matchup, whereas MSU has a good chance of hosting either of two very compelling possible matchups later.
Of course ESPN has a financial interest in the SEC and an accompanying bias, but I think the choice of Tennessee this week is logical.
Right now Tennessee and Florida are both undefeated, so the game is meaningful even though both teams have been lackluster so far. Tennessee's immediate upcoming games are road trips to Georgia and Texas A&M, followed by a home game vs Alabama. So the game vs Alabama could be a marquee matchup except that Tennessee is unlikely to be undefeated and could have two or even three losses going in.
Meanwhile Michigan State has marquee matchups at home vs Michigan and Ohio State late in the season with a fairly soft schedule leading until then (this weeks matchup vs Wisconsin being the exception).
So given that GameDay prefers not to repeat venues, this is probably the only chance to visit Tennessee with a compelling matchup, whereas MSU has a good chance of hosting either of two very compelling possible matchups later.
Of course ESPN has a financial interest in the SEC and an accompanying bias, but I think the choice of Tennessee this week is logical.